The End of Her World
by Ptrst
Summary: The Dark Lord is gone, but so is Harry. Hermione's world crumbled after the Final Battle years ago. What happens when she inadvertently does the same to the people she loved?Rated for language - I think - and death. COMPLETE!
1. Locked into Depression

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: This story is based off of a dream I just had, actually, about an hour ago. Since it was a depressing, emotional dream, this story is going to be as fluff-less as possible. Some of the characters have been changed, but that's only because a few of the characters were people I actually know, including me, so I can't exactly put them in there, now can I? Oh yeah, and I've edited it a lot, so it's understandable. But it's still based off of my dream. This is my first try at a story that takes place more in the future than Harry's seventh year, so bear with me if it's not perfect, please. Read the background information below to find out what's happened; it should explain a lot of weird stuff. R&R.

**BACKGROUND INFORMATION In their sixth year, Hermione and Draco had a strong relationship, which was ended during their seventh year when Draco's father forced him into the ranks of the Death Eaters, because Lucius refused to see his only son tortured by the Dark Lord. Hermione hasn't spoken to him since, though she loved him dearly. Years later, Harry defeated the Dark Lord, and exiled himself because he couldn't stand the guilt at taking another's life, even if it was the most feared Dark wizard for a century, and he saved thousands of lives, at least, by his act. Lucius Malfoy, though once more escaped conviction, became extremely paranoid, permanently convinced that "The Boogeyman" (not a Lethifold or Dementor) came out at exactly sunset every night and brutally murdered anyone who was outside at that time; he set up a magical lock on his door that would not open after sunset, in case the Boogeyman wanted to come inside specifically for him. Ron, sadly, was killed during the final battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort. With Ron and her parents dead (killed during a muggle torture), Harry gone, and Draco evil, Hermione had no one left. She fell into a deep depression, which is where we find her.**

Hermione Jane Granger didn't want to answer her door. She didn't want to get off her couch, where she had laid for several days, getting up only to use the bathroom. She wanted to lay there forever, in the dark, until she died. Only then would she be happy.

But the knock at the door was incessant; whoever it was wouldn't give up. They obviously knew she was home, which was strange; as far as she knew, no one even knew where she lived. After the disappearance of everything she held dear, she had almost no contact with anyone. Her phone was generally left disconnected and the lights were always off. There were no signs that anyone lived there, except the cash that appeared in the apartment super's mailbox once a month and occasional packages of food that were delivered to her door, and she demanded that they were only brought in the dark of night. There was no name on the apartment; she had offered such funds that the super was willing to skip the formalities of a contract and such. She demanded privacy, at any price.

The knock at the door got louder and louder, until it seemed the door was about to come off the hinges. She pulled herself up off the couch grudgingly and stumbled clumsily to the door. She fumbled with the several locks, mostly stuck in position from underuse, and managed to pull the door open. She put her hand up to shield her eyes from the blinding sunlight that was now in her home. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice rusty. She hadn't spoken since she ordered her food last week.

"Are you Hermione Granger?" asked the visitor, trying not to look eager and failing.

"Who wants to know?" she asked, suspiciously.

"An old friend," he said mysteriously, and a bit sadly. Surely, Hermione couldn't have changed that much since he last saw her; it had been a while, ten years at least, but Hermione Granger could never become a paranoid shut-in. His source must have been wrong.

_No, it can't be, _thought Hermione. _I thought he was dead! Not even the Quibbler's claimed to have seen him since…_She didn't like to think about what had happened. _But, if someone had seen him, I wouldn't know about it. I stopped getting the paper years ago. Maybe it's true. _"It's me." She nodded.

He rushed to her and embraced her. She stood stiffly. "I thought I'd never see you again! It's me. It's Harry!"

"I know who you are!" she screamed, angry. "I know exactly who you are! You're someone I once loved like a brother! You're someone who promised to always be there for me! But you left! You didn't say a word to me before you took off! You wrote a letter, yes, a letter that doesn't mention me once! When you left, there was nothing for me anymore! Ron died, watching your back during the Final Battle! You probably didn't even know that, did you? He died to save you, Harry! He took a curse in the chest, so it wouldn't hit you! But I almost wish it had! Because then, at least I would still have someone!" Harry was stunned. This was not at all the happy reunion he had imagined. "How dare you come back! You think you can just show up at my doorstep, and everything will be the same again, like you had never left? NOTHING is the same anymore, and it never will be!" She breathed hard, trying to restrain the tears.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. I-I didn't know about Ron. I thought you'd be okay. I had no idea that any of this was going to happen."

"Of course you didn't! Ron had the Sight, not you. He knew what was going to happen. But he went with you, anyway." She was getting emotional again. The tears were flowing freely. This time, she didn't care. "All his life, Ron was playing second fiddle to you, Harry! But he went anyway, knowing full well that he was going to die and you were going to live! And how did you repay him? You leave! You go run off, without a word to any of us!"

Harry had never seen such anger from Hermione, and he felt guilty. He had spent ten years wandering around the world, feeling sorry for himself, trying to escape the terrible feeling he had; but Hermione, his best friend, had been stuck here, back in London, completely alone. Thanks to him, Harry, Hermione had lived years as a shut in. No family, no friends, just herself. "I'm sorry, Hermione. If I knew what had happened, I would have stayed with you. I thought he was still here, that he would be here for you. I was wrong. But I came back. I still feel terrible for taking a life, but I've realized that, if I hadn't, the world would be under the control of Voldemort, and I wouldn't be able to handle that guilt, either.

"You said that I never mentioned you in my letter, and you're right. I didn't mention you or Ron, because the thought of leaving you was too painful. But I felt like I had to do it.

"I know you hate me right now, and I don't blame you. But I came back, and that should count for something. I'm not asking for immediate forgiveness, Hermione. But what I am asking for is a chance, a chance to earn your forgiveness, a chance to prove that I deserve it. I know that will take a while. But I'm willing to do my best." Harry sounded apologetic, and looked embarrassed at his bad judgment.

"You're right. I do hate you right now. When I needed you most, you were gone. Not a word from you for over ten years! If you really want my forgiveness, Harry, you will have to earn it. And it won't be easy. I trusted you. And you broke that trust when you left. But I'm willing to let you earn it back." There was an awkward silence while the two former friends contemplated what this would mean for the both of them.

"Why did you come, Harry? I know there has to be some reason why, after ten years, you'd come back."

"You mean you haven't heard?" asked Harry incredulously.

"Heard what?"

"I really don't want to be the one to tell you this. But I guess I have to. Just – don't shoot the messenger, okay?"

Hermione wondered what could be so terrible that he came back for. She nodded, worried.

He thought hard about how to word it. "I was traveling Europe, remember, and I stopped here for a day or so; I've been gone so long, you know, I thought I might let everyone know I'm okay, see how everyone's doing. I sent an owl to you, but she couldn't find you.

"Well, I got a hold of Neville Longbottom, you remember him, and I was asking him about where everyone is now, since it's been so long. He said he didn't know much about what had happened right after the battle, and he hadn't really kept in touch with anybody; he's been busy with trying to cure his parents. But he told me that he had read in The Daily Prophet a few weeks ago that… a body was found."

"Who's was it?" Hermione asked, voice shaking; just because she hadn't spoken to anyone didn't mean she didn't care for them all dearly.

"Neville showed me the article; he had kept it for – er – sentimental value. You know that the Death Eaters have never formally disbanded, right? Most of them are in Azkaban, but some got lighter sentences. Even without Voldemort, they're still active. And powerful. Well, he was trying to leave the Death Eaters. They've kept the tradition of not letting anyone quit. He was killed, Hermione. I – I know how much you loved him. And how much he loved you. I'm sorry."

"Please, tell me it's not –"

"It's Malfoy." She was in shock. Ron gone, Harry gone, her parents gone; but even though Draco was on the other side, the side that wanted Harry dead, she had never realized that he could be any more gone than he already was. She collapsed onto her couch, slightly uncomfortable because of the shape that had been imprinted into it.

"So you tracked me down here just to tell me that the only man I've ever loved is – is - " She finished the sentence with a soft sob.

"No. I tracked you down because I knew, even if Ron were here, that you would need me. I came to see if I could do anything to make you feel better. I didn't want to have to tell you; I thought you already knew."

"Thank you for coming, Harry. Almost no one knows where I am. If you hadn't come, I would have probably died not knowing what had happened." The only sound was Hermione crying. Harry stood there, uncomfortable, trying to look comforting.

"Is there anything I can get you?" He asked, wanting to be helpful.

Hermione knew that only one thing could make her feel any better right now. "Can I see the body?" she asked suddenly.

"It's at his manor. But I don't know if you want to go there."

"Why not? I need to see him, one last time."

"It's his father. According to Neville, he's gone fairly insane these past years. Screams about creatures sent to kill him. Won't step outside after dark. He's not a Death Eater anymore; they won't let in anyone of his… condition. That was the final straw for him; he just snapped."

"I need to go. It doesn't matter how mad his father is. The only reason Draco became a Death Eater was because his father forced him into it. He had no choice. So he went to the Dark side, and he promised me that as soon as he could, he would come back. He would take himself off the radar completely, and we would be together. But it never happened. I knew that if I went looking for him, I would find him with the Death Eaters. And he would have to either kill me or be killed. I owe it to him to go see him, just one last time. If I don't, I'll never be able to forgive myself." Hermione had never told anyone about Draco's true loyalties, or their promise. If it had gotten out, he would have been killed. That didn't matter anymore. She hoped every Death Eater in the world knew that Draco had never been loyal.

Harry nodded. "I'll go with you, then. I can't risk anything happening to you. I've lost you once already, and that's not something I'm willing to go through again."

She wasn't surprised that he wanted to go with her, but she had planned on going again. Still, without Harry, she wouldn't even be going. And she didn't know where the Malfoy manor was.

"Okay."


	2. It's After Sunset!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: I like the way that last one turned out. I'm used to writing happy, fluffy little romances. This is a nice change of pace, I must say. I would like this opportunity to thank kraeg001 and Gabrielle Madden-Lovato for the first reviews of this story. Well, there's nothing else for me to write except the next chapter, so R&R!

The sun was setting as Harry and Hermione came to the Malfoy Manor. Hermione had never been there before, but she had always imagined it as being impressive and intimidating. She could see now that it once fit that description, but it had fallen into a dreadful state of disrepair in recent years. The gardens, once stately and well-groomed, were running wild, and the walls of the mansion were crumbling; it looked like the building would collapse at any moment.

The two walked up to the menacing front door carefully, taking care not to step on anything that might break, which was almost everything near them. Hermione raised a trembling hand and knocked, once, twice, three times.

The door didn't open. Instead, a frightened sounding voice called out, "Who's there? What do you want?"

"Mr. Malfoy? I'm dreadfully sorry to bother you, but –"

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" he asked. "It's after sunset! You shouldn't be outside after sunset. He'll get you! You must go home at once."

On his travels, Harry had had some experience with the slightly mad and delusional. "I know, sir. But I'm here with my friend, and we can't stand the thought of being out after dark. We saw your house, sir, and thought that, since it was so big, you might have some room to spare for us, just until it's safe, please."

"I'd hate to think of anyone stranded out of doors after dark, but I'm afraid my door won't open until sunrise unless I know exactly who I'm letting in. It's a special charm. You know, He's after me. I can't take any chances."

Harry didn't want to have to tell Lucius, former Death Eater, that it was the Boy Who Lived knocking on his door. But Hermione was counting on him to get her inside. So he did the only thing he could; he lied. Sort of. "James Evans, sir. And Jane Granger."

"Those names sound familiar," Lucius muttered to himself. "Very well, come in." The double doors swung open with a deafening screech.

Hermione entered the Malfoy manor for the first time in her life. She looked around a bit, trying to seem inconspicuous. She couldn't let him know that they were only here to see Draco; he would be furious, and it was never wise to anger someone in such a fragile mental state.

They heard a loud, frightening POP, and turned towards the now-closed door, and as they saw what made the noise, they all screamed in fear.

"What have we done?!" Hermione asked Harry. He had no answer.


	3. Another Mourner

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: A little surprise in this chapter. Actually, more than one. And this is where the peril starts. So I hope you enjoy panic, among other things. R&R. Have fun!

Lucius Malfoy growled furiously at the two. "Who are you? And why did you lie to me before? You've ruined us all!" His breath smelt strongly of alcohol.

_The spell_ thought Hermione. _We lied, and the magic knows it._ She stared into the burning flames that had erupted and engulfed the front door and apologized. "I'm so sorry, sir. My name is Hermione Granger, and I loved your son dearly. I came to pay him one final visit." She kicked Harry, hard.

"I am Harry Potter. I didn't want to give you my real name, because I know who you used to pay allegiance to. I was wrong not to trust you." He bowed his head in shame.

"Damn right you were wrong! My Secrecy Spell is going to destroy the grounds, now, since I didn't know who you were. There's no way of stopping it. No one can leave my property until it's gone. Goodbye." He pointed to his right and walked off to another room.

"What's over there?" She asked Harry, walking in the direction he gestured. She was shocked to find the completely preserved body of Draco Malfoy lying flawlessly on a long table, looking exactly as he had in life and exactly as Hermione had spent years imagining him; she was even more surprised to find another mourner, kneeling at his feet.

"Ginny."

The redheaded woman Hermione once knew so well looked up at her with red eyes and tearstained cheeks. "Hermione? Is it really you?" She nodded. "I thought you were -"

"Dead, I know. That's what I wanted you to think. That's what I wanted everyone to think. And I was, in a way. Everything was gone, everyone I loved. I couldn't take the strain of existence. But I was too afraid to die."

Ginny stared at Hermione with wonder; she had been gone for so long.

"I-I'm so sorry, Ginny. But it's all over now." She began to sob loudly, and tears poured from her eyes.

"It's okay, Hermione. You're here now."

She shook her head. "Not that. The manor, it-it's being destroyed. We d-didn't know about th-the charm! I'm so sorry!"

Harry walked into the room and looked at Ginny sadly. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. I've killed us all."

"You gave false names," she said simply. Not a question, but a statement. They nodded. "It's not your fault. No one knows about the charm. It's his own personal creation." Ginny sounded detached, like she wasn't really there. "If he had known it was a muggle-born, he wouldn't have let you in. And if he had known it was you, Harry, you would have been killed. He still supports the Dark Side. It would have been his chance to prove he wasn't useless."

"How do you-" Hermione started.

"Know so much? How long do we have?"

"The entrance hall is practically gone, at least."

"Here." She began to fill several buckets with water from the tap, and put a cloth in each. "Let's try to put the fires out. Lucius' mind has been going. Maybe there's a loophole to the charm. I'll tell you what I can of the past few years while we're working."

Her calmness unnerved Hermione and Harry slightly; she was facing an almost certain death, and yet there was no hint of panic in her voice, no clue that she was even slightly worried about what was going to happen. They took their buckets and started towards the towering flames of the entrance hall, passing the room where Lucius Malfoy was drinking heavily again, laughing a madman's laugh.


	4. Ginny's Story

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: I apologize profusely for the lack of update-ness, but I sorta forgot about this story. Sorry! This chapter is mostly dialogue and background, but it shows a lot more about Ginny's state of mind, and it has some parts that almost made me cry. Sorry about the shortness, too, but I wanted to get this chapter out as soon as I could, since it's been so long! Thanks to all who've reviewed (I'll probably do personal thanks in the next chapter), and reviews are much appreciated. In this story, fire becomes a big issue, so you know I'm not afraid of flames.

"Well, Hermione, I was in pretty much the same state as you after the Final Battle took place. Most of my brothers were dead, and the ones that weren't were too damaged to be much of a help. The last time I saw Percy, about two years ago, he still woke up shaking, screaming for help. I was too young to take care of myself, but I had no choice. For a while, I tried to keep Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes open, but it was too much for just me to handle on my own, and there wasn't enough money to hire extra help. I started doing odd jobs, but that didn't last, either. There's only so much I can do. Then, I read an advertisement in the Daily Prophet for live-in help. I didn't realize that it was at the Malfoy manor." She dunked the cloth into her bucket of water and dropped it on one of the smaller fires, stepping on it until it was completely out.

"Once I came to apply for the job, I realized who's house I was at, but I needed the work too badly to give up. They explained, in a very rude tone, that your work with S.P.E.W., Hermione, had started a House Elf revolution, and they were forced to free them all." Hermione felt vaguely pleased when she learned that S.P.E.W. hadn't been a total failure, though she was almost completely drained of emotion by that point. "I was the only applicant, so I was hired and given the work of over two hundred house elves. It was an impossible feat, but I did my best." Her voice was still detached, like she was commenting on a movie she had seen instead of her own life.

"If I misbehaved, or didn't get my work done, I was punished by Mr. Malfoy. He was harsh, used to dealing with elves instead of people. Mrs. Malfoy was almost never here, until she told him she was never coming back. He started to lose his mind when his wife left him; then the Death Eaters forced him out of their ranks. He couldn't take the strain.

"Draco spoke of you often, Hermione. Never when his parents were around, of course, but when he thought he was alone, he would talk about you to himself; he would wonder what you were doing, and whether you were still alive. I wasn't supposed to hear him, but I did.

"The day before he was killed, he told me that he was going to get out. He had basically ignored me before that, but he knew who I was. He told me that they were probably going to kill him, but he had to risk it; he couldn't stand being a Death Eater anymore. He gave me a message for you, in case I should see you again. He told me to tell you that he never stopped loving you, and if things had been different, it would have worked out." She picked up the ash-covered cloth and dunked it in the bucket of water again, looking up at Hermione who had been too busy listening to Ginny's story to help. "Then he left. Hurry and help me, or we'll be burning next." Hermione did as she was told.

"W-when did it happen?" Hermione asked, kneeling on the hot, ashy floor and pressing the wet washcloth on a smaller fire with her numb, pale hands.

"About a week ago. They tried to bury him, but Lucius wouldn't let anyone near the body. Cast a charm on it so it'll stay the same forever." She looked up, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Come on, Harry, you too."

Author's Note: Okay, I have a lot more background typed out, for my own personal uses, so in your reviews, if you see fit to give me any, let me know if I should post it or not. Majority rules! Oh yeah, and do you want a happy ending, a sad ending, a peaceful ending, or a surprise ending? Tell me in your reviews, because I need to start prepping for it now!


	5. BACKGROUND INFO

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but I do own the plot.

Author's Note: I got one response that said they wanted more background, and so I decided to post this now, while the actual chapter five is in progress. If you don't like background, don't read this chapter, because that's all it is. It contains the goodbye letter that Harry wrote before leaving and Draco's message for Hermione. Described in this background are: **Hermione**, **Harry**, the **Weasley**'s, **Draco**, and **Lucius**. Skip to the bottom for **reviewer response**.

**Hermione** – After Ron, Harry, Draco, and her parents are all gone in some way, she loses the will to live, but doesn't have the strength to kill herself. She becomes a paranoid, bitter, depressed shut-in, who bribes the landlord to keep her name off the paperwork and refuses to have her food delivered during the day. She spends all of her time sitting in the dark living room of her dingy apartment, with the phone shut off and her door tightly bolted shut, thinking about why everyone she ever loved is gone, and how she wishes she could just go to sleep and never wake up.

**Harry** – After the Final Battle takes place and he kills Voldemort, Harry can't stand the guilt of having killed someone, even if it is the most feared Dark wizard for a century, and thousands of people, at least, owe him their lives. He packs his bags, writes a note, and exiles himself, traveling around the world under numerous false names and disguises, not knowing about anything that happened during the Battle or afterward.

_I'm sorry, but I have to go. If I stayed, I wouldn't be able to wake up in the mornings, knowing that I've taken someone's life. These are my parting words to you all:_

_Luna, I love you and I always will. You're brilliant, and don't let anyone make you think otherwise. If things had been different, if I had been someone else, I would probably be married to you by now, but I didn't want to put you in danger by making you connected to me like that. Just know that I thought about it many times, and you will never know how much I love you._

_Ginny, you are a special girl who has helped me through many hard times. Without you, I doubt I'd have made it this far. Thank you._

_Remus, since Sirius died, you have been the closest thing I have to a father. I will miss you more than you can know._

_It's done now. Voldemort is gone forever, the Boy-Who-Lived is no longer a part of anyone's life. The prophecy has been fulfilled, and the world is, once again, in balance. I wish I could stay, more than anything, God, I wish I could stay. But I can't. Stay alive,_

_Harry_

The **Weasley's** – Still alive are Percy, Bill, and Ginny. Percy is mildly insane, he suffers from PTSD, and he has nightmares about the War. Bill, still in Egypt, takes care of him, though he suffers, too. Ginny tried to keep WWW open, in memory of the twins, but it was too much work. She tried doing odd jobs, but was limited in ability. Eventually, she finds the ad in the Daily Prophet and, desperate, takes the job as a live-in servant for the Malfoys, doing the work of over 200 house elves and being tortured by Lucius when she fails. Emotionally and psychologically, she's shut down, an empty shell almost. When Draco decides to finally leave the Death Eaters, he gives Ginny a message for Hermione. Because of the message, Ginny has a reason for living, so she keeps herself alive, at least until she sees Hermione again. Fred, George, Ron, Charlie, Molly, and Arthur are dead.

**Draco** – Forced by his father to become a Death Eater, Draco has to leave Hermione, the love of his life, but he fully intends to go back to her once the War is over. However, though Voldemort is defeated, the Death Eaters remain powerful and active, no longer servants to Voldemort but still Dark wizards following in his footsteps, so Draco cannot leave them. After years of pretending, he realizes that it's never going to end unless he ends it himself, so he gives Ginny, his servant, the message for Hermione:

_If you see Hermione again, ever again, tell her that I love her, that I always have and I always will. Tell her that if things had been different, we would be together, but the way it is, either I would die or both of us would die, and I chose me. I'm going now, to end this charade forever, and I might come back, but I probably won't._

He doesn't come back.

**Lucius** – Escapes Azkaban. When Narcissa leaves him, he goes slightly insane, and is kicked out of the Death Eater's ranks as a consequence. This pushes him completely over the edge. He becomes paranoid, convinced that the Boogeyman is real, and kills anyone who is outside after dark. He puts special locks and spells on his house, trying to escape it.

**Kraeg001** – Thank you!

**Gabrielle Madden-Lovato** – Dead Draco upsets me, too!

**Grammar conscious possum** – It's been a while, but I'm still writing.

**Mooney's Girl** – Here's your background info! I wasn't planning on making Harry's 'exile' thing a big deal, but I think now I will, thanks. I'm still writing! I like this story too much to let it die. Besides, if I quit, I'll probably dream it again, and I don't want to do that!


	6. There's Nothing We Can Do

It was tiring work, but eventually they managed to put out most of the fires in the entrance hall, throwing the remnants of the water on the flames too big to stamp out and going back several times to refill the buckets. By the time they were finished, all three were ash-covered and sweating, with a handful of minor burns each. They sighed in relief, as best as they could sigh in the smoky air, glad to finally be rid of the flames and thinking they had beaten the spell. They walked into the kitchen and breathed deeply in the cleaner air. The peaceful silence, however, was soon broken.

Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world, screamed like a frightened little girl. Hermione jumped in surprise and looked up, to where Harry was staring; she screamed as well, though not as loudly as Harry and much more hoarsely. The ceiling was beginning to crumble, right over their heads.

She looked around wildly, not knowing what to do other than be crushed by the falling building. "Outside, now!" shouted Ginny, raising her voice for the first time. Hermione and Harry obeyed, following her out to the tremendous backyard.

Seeing that the yard was fenced in with towering flames, the three didn't dare venture into the grass; instead, they stood solemnly, close together, under a large awning covering a cement patio.

"This is it," said Hermione hopelessly. "This is the last night of our lives." Harry began to speak, trying to tell her that everything was going to be fine, but Hermione wouldn't let him. "I'm not stupid, Harry, so don't even try to make me feel better about this. I know we're going to die tonight." The flames surrounding the backyard grew larger, and began to spread inward, nearer to the three. "There's nothing we can do about it.


	7. Harry's Promise

Author's Note: This story is now completed. Please give me feedback on whether the ending was suitable, and whether or not you would be interested in reading alternate endings. Thank you for reading.

Harry was silenced. Hermione was right, of course. They were as good as dead. The ceiling was crumbling, the front of the house was almost pure ash, they couldn't leave the property, and the flames encompassing the backyard were slowly creeping closer and closer towards them from all directions.

"How long do you think we have?" Hermione asked no one in particular.

Ginny answered. "A while. Lucius' magic isn't as powerful now as it once was… he lost his wand, you know, when the Death Eaters kicked him out. They erased his memory of most of his Death Eater days and snapped his wand in half. He's been using Draco's wand. It'll take a while for the flames to spread. But they will."

"Harry, you know that I've been living alone as a shut-in for years and Ginny's been working for the Malfoys. But where have you been? It's been more than ten years; surely something's happened worth mentioning!"

He looked slightly awkward, as if he would rather not answer the question. Finally, he spoke. "I left that same night, you know. I didn't know where I was going. I lost my scar when I had defeated Voldemort, so I was unrecognizable. I took the Knight Bus, told them it didn't matter where they took me so long as it was far away. I still don't know where I actually was. I spent a few years like that, wandering around, calling for transportation when I needed it. I even took a boat once to America. But I didn't really like it as much as I thought I would. Then, I don't know exactly when, I lost it. I broke down in the middle of the Knight Bus, started screaming and raving about how horrible I was. They dropped me off at St. Mungo's. I stayed there for quite a while. Until I saw how much worse some people were. I saw Frank and Alice Longbottom, and Gilderoy Lockhart. I realized that Voldemort was somehow the cause of all of that. And I had stopped it from happening again. I was released soon after. Then I came back here. I wanted to let everyone know that I was okay, that I hadn't gone and gotten myself killed or anything, and I wanted to see if everyone else was okay, too. As you can probably tell, they weren't.

"That battle had destroyed everything, the lives of almost everyone I've ever known. I know that I couldn't have stopped it from happening, but I can't help but feel guilty, maybe if I had worked harder, fought him sooner, it would have turned out better for everyone." He turned away from them so they couldn't see the tears clouding up his eyes, and started talking more to himself than to the other two.

"Everything I do turns out wrong. I finally come back, try to set things right, and I go and get us killed instead. Why do I even bother?"

"Harry, that's nonsense and you know it!" said Hermione sharply. "This isn't your fault. It's mine."

"Hermione –"

"No, Harry, don't try to tell me that it's not my fault. I'm the one who had to come and see Draco, not you. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have come at all, and this wouldn't have happened."

"Hermione, you know I never approved of you dating Mal – Draco. To be honest, I always thought you'd end up with Ron. But I see now that he made you happy. You really loved him, didn't you?" She nodded, trying to hold back tears. "Then trust me; if you love someone, you have to see them. You can't just live your whole life alone, and forget about the person – or people – you loved. None of this is your fault."

"How can you say that! It's my fault that all of this happened. It's my fault that Draco died in the first place!"

"No it's not. You didn't kill him."

"I was the reason he wanted to leave the Death Eaters, Harry!"

Ginny interrupted them. "It's Voldemort's fault. He's the one who started the Death Eaters in the first place. But he's gone now, and so there's no one to blame except the wizards who turned their wands on him. And they're all guilty of so many other things that if they were ever caught and prosecuted for their crimes, the death of a fellow Death Eater probably wouldn't even make the list." Harry looked at her warningly, afraid she would upset Hermione even further. "No, Harry. It's the truth and someone needs to say it. And I'm the only one willing to.

"Hermione, it's not your fault that he's dead. And it's not his fault. It's nobody's fault but the people who killed him. And they won't be punished for it. That's what's got you so upset, isn't it?"

Hermione thought about it for a moment before agreeing. "It's not fair! He just wanted out! And nothing's going to happen to the Death Eaters because of it!"

"But – what do you mean, nothing's going to happen to the Death Eaters?" Harry asked. "They've got several lifetimes in Azkaban waiting for them if they're ever caught!"

"Yes! Just as many as they had before they killed him! It made no difference at all, to anyone except me!"

"But that's enough. It made a difference to you. And to his father, I daresay. If he had died a Death Eater, it wouldn't have made a difference to that many people, even. It was for the best."

"No, it wasn't for the best! I refuse to believe that! Tell me, what good has come of it? What good could ever come of it?"

"I daresay he was happier after he… resigned. Even if it was only for a moment or two. Even if nobody knew it but him. He stood up for himself, Hermione. Surely you – who knew him better than almost anyone else – surely you know that he never could have been happy as a Death Eater! Serving somebody else – he had enough of that when he was a child."

"And who are you to say what made him happy!"

"I'm human, Hermione. Nobody likes being subservient to someone else. And look at how proud he was – it was killing him anyway. The Death Eaters just did it a bit faster."

Hermione turned away from him. _No_, she thought. _He doesn't know what he's talking about. He never knew Draco, not really. He's trying to make me feel better – and it's not working in the slightest._

Harry realized his mistake. "Hermione, I don't want to argue with you. I haven't seen you for so many years – and I may never see you again. The last thing I want to do is fight with you."

She sighed. He was right. It was pointless to start an argument neither of them would be able to finish. "You're right. Why argue?"

Ginny interrupted them. "That's nice, but if we're going to get out of here alive, we'd better start trying now. The flames are getting closer. I don't think we have much longer."

"Hermione," Harry said, "I know what I did was wrong. I left you when you needed me the most, though I didn't realize it until I saw you earlier today. And I know that nothing will ever make it alright. So I promise you this: No matter what it takes, I'm going to find a way out of this, for all of us."

_HOUSE FIRE: 4 DEAD_

_A horrible tragedy occurred last night, as the home of what used to be a prominent wizarding family was found this morning, completely destroyed in what seems to be a large fire caused by unknown magic. What really happened may never be discovered, as there were no survivors. Harry Potter, the man who defeated You-Know-Who then slipped out of the country, was among the deceased. The other three have been identified as Hermione Granger, Ginerva Weasley, and Lucius Malfoy. The previously-deceased Draco Malfoy was found, somehow alive and untouched by the flames, holding the body of Ms. Granger. He was heard saying that he lost the love of his life, moments before he committed suicide._


	8. Alternate Ending

Author's Note: I have come to the conclusion that the possibilities for this story are truly endless. I like the way it ended in the last chapter, but I wanted to write another ending for it, a bit happier, sort of. And, of course, I have issues with closure, and this ending is much more open-ended than the other one. Oh, hell, just read it, will you?

"_Hermione," Harry said, "I know what I did was wrong. I left you when you needed me the most, though I didn't realize it until I saw you earlier today. And I know that nothing will ever make it alright. So I promise you this: No matter what it takes, I'm going to find a way out of this, for all of us."_

Harry, Hermione, and Ginny stood, backs together, wands out. They were shooting water spells all around, trying to put out the flames encircling them. There was nowhere to go. They were trapped. The house was no longer visible through the blaze, and even if they had been able to see it, they knew it wasn't standing. They had been trying for hours to find a way out of the inferno, but to no avail. Lucius Malfoy, though insane, had been thorough in his magic. Their only defense had been to keep the fire away from themselves for as long as they could, in hopes that someone would notice it at some time. But they didn't really believe that.

Hermione felt the heat pressing down on her. She couldn't speak anymore; she couldn't even breathe. She dropped her wand. "I'm sorry," she tried to say, but not even a whisper escaped her mouth. She felt the flames touch her, burning her…

She woke with a start. _One more day_, she thought, wishing that the dream had been true, that she wouldn't have to lay in her isolated misery any longer. With difficulty, she managed to sit up. _Why should I?_ she wondered. _What's stopping me?_ She thought about the dream she just woke up from. _Is that really what it's like? _She asked herself. Her stomach grumbled. She sighed and debated whether it would be worth getting up and eating.

There was a knock at her door. She jumped. The knock came again. She cursed under her breath as she got up and fumbled with the locks. She opened the door and then quickly shut it again, as it was the last person she expected to see.

"Draco?"

Author's Note (again): Jamie – that is, me – would like to say thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed this story. Also, there is no guarantee that this is the last chapter, but there's no guarantee that it isn't. Jamie would also like to thank Enchanted Beauty particularly, because they – I'm guessing she – has now reviewed pretty much every chapter of every story I've posted. Jamie would thank her personally – in a review or e-mail – but she hasn't posted any stories, and has no e-mail listed on the site, so Jamie can't. Jamie would also like to apologize for the third person-ness; she is bored and feels like it!


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